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A total of 15 people were hospitalized this Saturday following a possible explosion of a vessel near the sandbank at Haulover, off of Haulover Beach in Miami-Dade, in an incident that triggered a massive emergency response and was declared a Level 2 mass casualty event.
The emergency call was received at 12:48 p.m., prompting the immediate deployment of more than 25 units from the Miami-Dade Fire Department (MDFR).
Among the resources mobilized were the fireboat Fireboat 21, Ocean Rescue units, and agents from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Upon arriving at the scene, the teams found multiple patients who required immediate medical attention.
According to the MDFR, “due to the number of patients and the need for additional resources, the emergency was elevated to a Level 2 mass casualty incident (MCI).”
In total, 15 people were transferred to area hospitals.
The authorities have not disclosed the condition of the patients nor the cause of the incident.
A rescue helicopter was captured on video landing in the area, according to reports from NBC Miami.
A witness declared to Telemundo 51 that they heard the explosion, although "they didn't know what was happening at the moment."
The scene remained active and under investigation at the close of the initial reports, with no details released about the vessel involved.
Haulover Sandbar, a hotspot for boating activity
The Haulover Sandbar is a sandbar in shallow waters located near Haulover Inlet, in northern Miami-Dade, which has become one of the busiest nautical destinations in South Florida.
On weekends, especially during the warm season, dozens of boats gather there for social gatherings on the water, resulting in a high concentration of recreational vessels with fuel on board.
This density of vessels represents a potential risk that the authorities have highlighted on multiple occasions.
Background: a recent history of serious nautical accidents
The incident this Saturday occurs in a context of growing concern about maritime safety in South Florida.
In May 2025, eleven people were injured, including two children, after a boat exploded in Fort Lauderdale during the Memorial Day weekend.
In that case, the vessel, a 39-foot Sea Ray, exploded near a popular sandbar in the Intracoastal Waterway.
Joshua Fifi, 29 years old, died days later after suffering third-degree burns on 70% of his body.
The likely cause was the buildup of fuel vapors that ignited when attempting to start the engine.
In July 2025, a tragedy in Miami resulted in several children dead following the collision of a sailboat with a barge off Hibiscus Island.
The tugboat captain was charged with involuntary manslaughter in April of this year.
In April 2025, a yacht lost control and capsized in a canal in Eastern Shores, in North Miami Beach.
Florida, the leader in boating accidents in the United States
Florida is the state with the highest number of registered recreational vessels in the country: over 1,030,053 in 2024.
According to the official report from the FWC published in May 2025, that year saw 685 reportable boating accidents in the state, resulting in 81 fatalities, making it the deadliest year since 2019.
Miami-Dade was the county with the highest number of accidents: 75 in 2024.
May has historically been one of the most dangerous months for recreational boating in Florida, with 13 recorded deaths in May 2024, the month with the highest number of fatalities for the year.
Moreover, 65% of the operators involved in fatal accidents in Florida in 2024 lacked formal education or training in navigation, a statistic that authorities have used to promote boating safety campaigns.
The authorities have not yet confirmed whether the explosion this Saturday in Haulover is related to fuel handling or other causes, and the investigation is ongoing.
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